The night sky has held humanity spellbound since before recorded history. As long as we've had the ability to wonder, we've studied the lights of the moon, stars, and planets for insights into our past, our future, and the nature of the universe. It's unsurprising then that even in this jaded modern age of instantaneous global communication and unlimited access to the learning of the ages, the sky still holds us in its thrall.

"It doesn't matter how many times you've seen Saturn," says Elissa Kane, interim director of the Dudley Observatory in Schenectady, "When you see those rings through a telescope, you think: 'That is SO cool!' "

The Dudley Observatory was founded in 1852 and is the oldest non-academic organization dedicated to astronomical research in the United States. Having only recently partnered with the Museum of Innovation and Science (miSci), the Dudley has found renewed purpose as a proponent of science education in the Capital Region. During the month of September, the Dudley and miSci are offering three different programs connected to Earth's nearest celestial neighbor.

"On Sept. 15, we'll be offering our monthly Night Sky Adventure," explains Valerie Rapson, the newly minted Dudley Outreach Astronomer. Rapson, who only recently earned her doctorate in astrophysical sciences and technology from the Rochester Institute of Technology, brings a youthful vigor and palpable enthusiasm for her field to her position.

"We'll be focusing on lunar eclipses," Rapson continues, "as we'll be able to observe one at the end of the month. On Sept. 19, we'll be celebrating International Observe the Moon Night. Finally, on Sept. 27, we'll be able to observe the actual lunar eclipse itself."

"All of our programs offer a tremendous opportunity for visitors of all ages," Elissa Kane observes. "Not only can you explore the sciences, but you can do so alongside real experts in the field.

"People don't just come asking about Saturn. They ask: 'What's dark energy? What's dark matter? What's a black hole? When will we be able to find some dark matter? Will we be able to go into a black hole?' These are questions that 6-year-olds are asking. They have the entirety of time and space to explore. We're tapping into that natural curiosity."

But the Dudley and miSci have even more to offer. As one of the oldest astronomical institutions in the nation, once dedicated entirely to research, their collection of rare books and artifacts is a trove just waiting to be explored in the years to come.

"Our collection of rare books is currently housed at Union College," says archivist Josh Houck. "We have a wealth of primary sources, including first editions of Copernicus, Kepler and Galileo."

"We also have the Pruyn telescope," Kane added. "It's original to the observatory, and was used to perform all of the original research. It's 16 feet high and absolutely stunning. We hope to feature it in the observatory we're building here in Schenectady."

"Of course, most of the telescopes used these days tend to be outside our atmosphere," Houck quips, referring to the Hubble Telescope and other orbital and interplanetary tools used by organizations like NASA.

"There have been numerous shifts of focus in the sciences over the years, especially in astronomy," Houck explains. "The Dudley's mission was all about observation and star-mapping up until the 1960s, but the space race changed all that. Scientists became more interested in the practicalities of space travel. During that period, the Dudley did important work collecting micrometeorites, or 'space dust'. NASA wanted to know how much damage it might cause American spacecraft.

"Once the space race was over, interest in astronomy waned. By that point, the observatory on Lake Avenue in Albany had been shut down. Researchers turned from telescopes to microscopes. There was also a shift away from independent institutions like the Dudley Observatory and toward those with university affiliations, as well as government sponsored programs."

But interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects has never been greater, with President Obama endorsing a greater emphasis on math and science in education.

"There are a lot of jobs in the sciences," Rapson says, "But not a lot of people trained to do them. Programs like ours hope to inspire kids to consider the sciences as a viable career path. We're especially reaching out to little kids, grades K through 2. If we can interest them in astronomy now, it could lead to a career in nanotech tomorrow."

"Most importantly," she laughs, "astronomy is fun! That's why kids are drawn to it again and again. Unfortunately, students of all kinds encounter a lot of stereotypes. Scientists are frequently depicted in popular culture as 70-year-old white men. We hope that kids learn that scientists are just like them. You don't have to be special. We're just people and we come from different races and genders. If we can do that, maybe we can increase the number of women and minorities in the sciences."

"We're at a tipping point," concludes Kane. "We have this incredible technology at our disposal, giving us access to more information than we've ever had before. But we have to decide just what we're going to do with it. Public knowledge is at the center of our cultural conversation. In order to make choices that could very well decide the future of our species, we need to have the necessary knowledge. Science education is the key."